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• (Brainy Quote) •
Introduction. Henry David Thoreau is a man known for his minimalist views. Even during the time in which he lived, he understood the true value of living a simple life. When we begin and continue on with our Simple Living or Minimalist journeys, we discover this value, firsthand, as well.
We look at our cluttered spaces and envision the way that they could look, feel and function for us once our living spaces and/or storage areas are free from the clutter. As we begin to slowly free up these spaces from the clutter, the vision that we have for these areas starts to become more and more apparent. Once we get one of our spaces freed up from the clutter, the more that we realize how much this excess clutter is actually costing us.
Analyzing Our Spaces. When we are first choosing a space to work on decluttering. We can sit down and really take a look at the area. What are the positive qualities that the space has? What are its negative qualities? We can write these qualities down (for ex: on sticky notes or in a journal-type planner) to help us keep these aspects in mind while we are working on decluttering the area. As we are working, we can try to bring out and use the positive qualities while reducing the negative ones of the room.
The next thing that we can do is take photographs of the area. It is good to take multiple photographs from several different angles. This can help us plan our end results out as well as to be able to have a reference to look at so that we can see the progress that we are making. Taking measurements of our spaces can be beneficial, too. The more that we plan the look and use of our spaces, and plan around the dimensions of the room, the better that we can create the rooms that we truly want and need once the excess clutter is gone.
Inspiration. Henry David Thoreau once said, “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” I love this quote! It helps us to move past all of the clutter and negative aspects of our spaces and believe in the promise of all of its possibilities. To further help us to plan out and keep track of all of the information that we have gathered for our decluttering projects, we can make a vision board.
Vision Boards. When making our vision boards, we can make them digitally, on the computer, or we can plan it all out tangibly on paper; such as on a poster board. Of course, creating it all digitally will be the least expensive way to make a vision board, especially if cost is an issue. However, printing it out or creating a tangible vision board has its advantages such as being able to hang it up in the room that we are working on. Vision boards are a great reference tool for us to have and to use for our decluttering projects.
While planning out our vision boards, it is beneficial to separate the board out by categories that we want to address in the room. Depending on preference, the board can be separated into four squares on the front page OR can be split into halves on both the front and the back pages of the board. Either way, each vision board will enable us to plan out our decluttering projects well.
The Make-Up of the Vision Board. Essentially, two sections of the vision board will address the qualities that we want to bring out in the room. The other two sections will address the qualities that we want to fix or reduce in the room.
In the two sections of the vision board that plan out the positive qualities of the room:
- 1. One section can plan out the functions that we want the room to do. — (Ex. for a home office: work on the computer, be able to file, work on artwork, have an area to read at as well as store books, etc.)
- 2. The other section can plan how we want the room to look when we are completely finished with the space. — (Ex. of a home office once again: the type of furnishings for in the room, the layout, the paint colors, type of curtains, and the use of any items that we already own and can utilize in the room, etc.)
For the other two sections of our vision boards, they will plan for how to deal with the less favorable qualities of the space that needs addressed:
- 1. One section can show the “Before” photographs of our rooms. — (For Ex. with a cluttered home office: We can use these photographs to identify and make a list of the particular objects that we want to get rid of out our spaces. We could also decide which pieces of decor should be decluttered from the office space, and for a further example, if a window would interfere with the planned layout of the room, etc.)
- 2. Additionally, we can plan out mini-projects that we can do to fix the parts of the room that are not working for how we want the area to function or look overall. — (For Ex. with a home office: We could decide that the desk is either too small or too large for the size of the room and could then plan to replace it with a different one that would work better in the particular area that we want to place it in. We could also figure out that the shelving might need placed on a different wall from the one that it is currently at. Additionally, we could also decide that painting a focal wall would make the office look too small, so the office should then be painted all one color, etc.)
So, utilizing vision boards to help us with our decluttering projects, is a very useful method or tool that can be used. They can aid in making our spaces turn out the way that we planned, and how we would like them to function overall.
Closing Thoughts. Working on decluttering our spaces can be work, but planning out the various aspects of our decluttering projects can really help in lessening the time and total work involved. Clutter in our homes, and within our various rooms, masks our spaces of their true functions, beauty and peacefulness. However, the more that we can envision our spaces without the clutter, the more encouragement that we will have to continue to finish our decluttering projects. It also will give us a chance to remember how much we originally liked these spaces, as well as to remember, what our spaces can once again be.
- – What room would you first like to begin decluttering?
- – Have you ever previously used a vision board for any of your decluttering projects?
- – If so, how did you like using it to plan out your decluttering project(s)?
- – If using a vision board is new to you, tell us what you thought of using it, and how it helped you during your decluttering project(s).
• Please feel free to talk with us in the Comments’ section below. In the meantime, consider Henry David Thoreau’s quote. It could be a good source of encouragement for all of us with our future, decluttering projects. • Take Care and thank you for stopping by Simplicity’s Journey. – Sincerely, Kyra
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